Exercise

25 posts, 8 contributors

May 10, 2013 21:44 SA2010 DAFNE Graduate University College London Hospitals (UCLH) 69 posts	Thanks Garry. I did read the posts on he thread INCREASED BLOOD GLUCOSE AFTER EXERCISE and I think it did happen to me once. I need to read more about what is said as a difference between Anaerobic & Aerobic exercise. I do not know for my cycling what type it would fall into and I would not risk taking insulin before exercise for the exercise when I might end up in the other category and getting a nasty hypo. I will get the book that is mentioned in that thread. As I mentioned earlier my BG levels now back to normal after regressing the Lantus reduction. I did not cycle for a day after that and then started again - leisurely for short periods - only strenuous when the roads have a slight climb - again it is all moderate (would be classed as moderate by others I am sure(. I am taking extra CPs but measuring my BG beforehand if it is more than 2 hours after a meal. No hypos for last 2 days. Regards Simon
May 11, 2013 08:16 Garry DAFNE Graduate North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust 328 posts	Good on yer. Whatever works for you. Regards Garry
May 14, 2013 19:29 edwards002 DAFNE Graduate Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 2 posts	SA2010 said: Thank you Edward and Thank you Warwick In answer to your points: My cycling and exercise is never planned and so cannot really address by QA bolus changes, I know that whilst the weather is good I would try to cycle to local shops or local park. My cycling is not intense. Leisurely and other cyclists do pass me ! But I seem to be very sensitive to little activity and also very touchy with minute adjustments to lantus dose. I have not cycled for a while because I had a number of operations over the last three years - the last of which in June to fix an incisional hernia caused by the other ops. I got the bike out a week or so ago as the weather turned round. I am adding a few more days to the BG diary with this post to show my failed attempts to deal with it. Because the impact was delayed I decided reducing Lantus was the answer but then had very high BG level I have not had before as you can see for the entry on the 6th May. It followed a hypo but surely a rebound would not go that high - 17.1. I repeated the test and got 14.9. It shows the accuracy of the meters ! Today I went back to the previous level of Lantus as 1u reduction seemed to make such a difference - I suppose with my low BI dose (3+6 reduced to 2+6, a 1u is significant percentage). Today no cycling and no other activity and BG level back to normal levels. I do not know how to tackle this. Very sensitive to insulin - maybe without a pancreas my diabetes behaves different from others - or is just very touchy and sensitive to insulin levels? Exercise impact could be because I am not fit. I used to go the gym before the operations in 2010. Dear SA2010 and Garry, sorry it has taken me a bit of time to get back to the forum and I see much water has passed under the bridge so to speak. Garry makes some good points wrt hand cleanliness and dryness. I must confess to being somewhat "microbiologically-disgusting". So hand washing tends to get a raw deal when it comes to blood testing. Garry is correct, though, in so far as this factor could disturb the precision of your results. I got told not to squeeze my finger in order to encourage blood drop formation when last at my dafne refresher course. So, many factors come in to play. If your (SA2010) slow-acting insulin dosage (Lantus?) has been serving you well, then best not to mess with it. Getting a secure base-line is the foundation for good treatment of Diabetes. This would mean that your QA insulin with meal prior to exercise is the key to hypo-avoidance. I had found -30%reduction of QA with meal good for everyday exercise. I mentioned that I thought I might need -50% reduction of my QA for severe exercise. Interestingly, the result of my first test showed that my adrenaline response (flight or fight) took over and my blood glucose values increased and ketones started to be generated with the severe exercise (Shock, horror!). On the next occasion I shall have to try a -40% reduction of my QA instead, since -50% was clearly over-doing it a bit. Dosage adjustment is touchy feely stuff. You (SA2010) mentioned that you used to exercise but operations and recovery therefrom have held you back. It is perfectly understandable that you will be sensitive to the effects of exercise. This sensitivity will reduce as you get fitter. Keep working away at it and I am sure your initial reservations will melt away.
May 15, 2013 03:21 Warwick DAFNE Graduate Diabetes Australia-Vic, Melbourne, Victoria 423 posts	I agree with edwards002 that getting fitter does tend to reduce the number of hypos after exercise. However, getting fitter also makes us more sensitive to insulin, so it can be a 2-edged sword. I have absolutely no idea, sorry, on how the removal of a pancreas would affect insulin sensitivity. The only thing I can suggest is more regular testing after exercise until you get an idea of when you are trending low, and can compensate with a couple of CPs.
May 16, 2013 21:37 SA2010 DAFNE Graduate University College London Hospitals (UCLH) 69 posts	[Shared diary only visible when logged in] Thanks everyone for the advice and feedback. Most appreciated. I took a 4 day break from cycling and now back again for 2nd day today. I agree that it appears to need more frequent BG testing for the hours that follow the cycling activity, Yesterday the 15th was good but today not so, Extra CPs before exercise when BG was not high were not sufficient and obviously it needs BG tests after the exercise and CP top ups before hypo develops. I am sharing diary for last 3 days here.